New Delhi, Dec 16: Union Minister for Rural Development, and Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chauhan Tuesday introduced the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) or VB–G RAM G Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha.
Shivraj Singh said in Parliament that it is their resolve to ensure welfare of the poor and they have striven to fulfill that resolve. The Bill proposes not only the welfare of the poor but also the comprehensive development of villages, reflecting Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of a complete, self-reliant, and developed village. Moreover, the central government has committed to spending over Rs 95,000 crore on this initiative.
Union Minister Shivraj Singh said that many employment schemes have existed before in India, one such being the Jawahar Rozgar Yojana. Later, the Congress renamed the Jawahar Rozgar Yojana. “So, does that mean disrespect to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru?” Shri Shivraj Singh asked. He added that budget allocations for the welfare of the poor have often been uneven, leaving many panchayats underdeveloped. Therefore, the Bill includes provisions to grade panchayats and assign more work to those that are less developed and underperforming.
Shivraj Singh said that Mahatma Gandhi resides in our hearts, and his and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya’s resolve was to prioritise the welfare of the most backward and downtrodden people in the society. The government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is operating several welfare schemes for the poor based on the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya.
The Union Minister further said that regarding MGNREGA, the Congress and UPA had only started the scheme and spent Rs 2,13,220 crore on it, while his government has spent Rs 8,53,810 crore on welfare schemes for the poor and has worked to strengthen this scheme. “Why is there still opposition? Instead of the earlier 100-day guarantee, we are now offering a 125-day guarantee. This is not an empty guarantee; a provision of more than Rs 1,51,282 crore has been made for this,” he said.
Shivraj Singh added that the new Bill will foster the comprehensive development of villages, and mentioned that when Sharad Pawar was the Union Agriculture Minister, he had expressed concern about the shortage of labour in agriculture. They have tried to address that concern now.
Chouhan said Mahatma Gandhi lives in their hearts and they fully respect him. “Bapu himself said Ram Rajya. Ram dwells in every part of us and every breath we take. This country resonates with the existence of Shri Ram,” he said. For some reason, when the name VB G-RAM-G came up, some people became agitated. Mahatma Gandhi himself spoke about establishing Ram Rajya; his last words were “Hey Ram.” We respect Bapu fully, and establishing Ram Rajya means not physical, divine, or material suffering or rule.
The Union Minister concluded by saying that the Bill is meant to provide abundant employment to every poor person, uphold their dignity, and offer additional protection to the differently-abled, elderly, women, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes. This Bill will ensure comprehensive development of villages, and work to balance agriculture and labour sectors. Shivraj Singh stated that this Bill aligns with Gandhiji’s sentiments and is aimed at establishing Ram Rajya. (PIB)
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